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User blog:EmpyrealInvective/So You Want to Write a Review?
Hey all, it’s been a while since I did one of these, but I recently noticed an uptick in reviews and I thought I’d share some helpful tips for how to provide feedback. I’m sure some of you are wondering why this is needed or why I am writing this, the answer is simple. I have given a lot of feedback which has generally been well received or at least deemed thorough. I noticed some users discussing reviews and thought I’d throw in my two cents. So some of you fine folks may be wondering why all of these words are links, well… that’s something for someone with a ridiculous amount of time to figure out. Enough of that though, let’s get on with the meat of this advice section which will give some tips, things to avoid, and how to best help authors. First and foremost, treat the author with respect. You don’t know their situation. This could have been something they spent weeks on this but have a basic gap in their education about something (like how to properly punctuate or why you shouldn’t capitalize dialogue tags) that results in their story having a number of issues. This could be their first story and they don’t quite have a handle on the vast ins-and-outs of writing literature. They could be struggling with a learning disability or trying to break through a language barrier and this could be the best they could do with what they have at their disposal. One of my favorites, Humper-Monkey's Ghost Story and the 50 Foot Ant series required a lot of editing. The story was great (so good I actually bought the book), but a large number of issues slipped through the cracks due to the story’s size. I can imagine someone posting a three page review citing all the instances of incorrect grammar, capitalization errors, or typos in that story. To make this simple, never insult the quality of someone’s writing. It doesn’t make you look smart, just petty and elitist. It doesn’t help them to call their story a dumpster fire, it only embarrasses them and makes them not want to write. In short, be friendly. Be precise! Being vague is not helpful. Never just say, “This story has a lot of issues” and leave it at that as that doesn’t really help anyone improve. A common theme I noticed in first time authors is that they will preemptively say that their story is bad. They know there are issues, but they don’t know how to fix them or what they may be. That’s where you can come in. If you mention a certain type of error (like punctuation or capitalization issues for example), provide examples. If someone has issues with capitalizing proper nouns as seen here: “The admin warned travis multiple times about needlessly referencing himself in writing advice sections.” The error is noticeable, “Travis” should be capitalized as it is a proper noun. You can put the proper way in a parenthetical next to the error (Travis) or explain what the author needs to do to correct this issue. Cite multiple examples so they know it’s not just in that one place. Giving unsolicited advice. This is going to be a tough one to explain and I want to preface what I’m about to say with this: I am not telling you to never give advice unless it’s requested. I am only telling you that you have to take a lot of things into account. Writing a two page review on a single paragraph wall of text that is about to be deleted is not the most productive use of your time. Once the story is deleted, that message is gone and the author likely did not copy/paste your message for reference on issues to avoid. Also the author may not be looking for a two page treatise on the issues present in “I Went to a Graveyard with My Supernaturally Sensitive Friend to Perform a Ritual and Now I Regret It”. It’s always helpful to give advice, but it’s best to give this feedback to people who are receptive to it. It’s why I tend to write in-depth reviews only when someone asks for one or they put it up for review. You could write an excellent review, but it won’t mean anything if the author is going to ignore it as they weren't looking for a sudden critique of their writing (especially when they aren't familiar with you). The writer’s workshop is an excellent place for this. Work through plot issues and explain why they need work. This is one of the most important things you can do when reviewing. Mechanical issues can be fixed in seconds (by the author or an editor), problems in the plot require time and re-writing by the author to correct them. Let’s tackle a few right here. Do you think the story is generic? Here’s a link to common tropes and cliches in creepypastas the author can read through. Do you think the story is bland or rushed? Select and copy lines of text from their story that you think are detrimental to the plot (“Then the monster killed him.” does little to be descriptive and makes for a very anticlimactic/abrupt ending.). Is the story derivative of something else/is it a rehashing of another story? Find a link to the story so they can read it and point out why they are similar and possible ways to fix this. The short line to take away is this, explain plot issues to the author and give possible ways to fix it (knowing that if they choose to work on it, they may go in an entirely different direction than what you suggest). Conclusion: Here’s the cliff notes. Treat everyone with respect. You can be blunt and point out issues and inconsistencies, but if you’re an ass about it, you’re gonna get ignored and that half an hour to an hour is gone. Be detailed and give examples of errors. We’re visual creatures, having examples of things to change makes it a lot easier to improve than just generalizations of issues. Make sure the author is receptive. Don’t waste your time writing something that is going to be ignored (especially when there are dozens of posts in the writer’s workshop that are waiting for advice) or deleted due to the story not being up to quality standards. Finally, take your time to explain plot issues and detail problems that arise from their inclusion. On a final note, there is no such thing as a perfect author. Literature is subjective and fluid, what style works for you may grind someone else’s gears. Being a good critic requires you to try and be unbiased and informed about common tropes and issues. Everyone could use some help from time to time. The important thing is giving help to the people who want it and the authors who are looking to improve. This wiki is not a place to be petty or carry grudges against people if your intention is to help people (i.e. the main reason why you're writing reviews in the first place). I hope to see plenty of insightful reviews floating around on this site. Category:Blog posts